The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-20
the children and Cassie. and 7 confess |

the children and Cassie, and confess 1
did feel a little lonely as watched them
disappear. Night was shutting down
gloomily, with dark clouds. The rain
beat furiously against tho window-pancs;
the wind whirled ia gusts about the
house and above all the roar of the river
sounded with a hollowness which | never
remembered having heard before. Alto
gcthcr, though I tried to believe myself
very courageous indeed, I could not
reprcss q feeling of uncasincss, as, after
drawing the curtains and lighting the
candles, sat down to my knitting with
my foot on the rocker of the baby's
cradle. There was no sound Of anything
within the room; the ticking of the old
clock and the swapping of the fire were
drowned in the mad dash of the rain,
the rattling Of the windows and the sullen
boom of the river. The words of Her
bert's prophecy came back to me with
fearful diStinctness. In fact, found, as
many another has done, that false BRAY
cry tlouriShes best in daylight.
''But the hours went by, and ten
o'clock came, and nothing unusual had
happened. began to laugh at my own
fears and was just covering the fire for
the night, when the baby awokc and cried.
So, Mother Hubbard fashion. l went to
the milk-room to get him some milk. 1
cannot tell why wrapped shawl about
him and took him with me. / only know
that I did, and 1 have always thanked
God for it.
"The milk-room. which, as we then
kept but one COW, we used more as q
pantry, was toward the river. 1t was al
most a cellar, being several feet lower
than the main part of the house, and par
TALLY walled up with stone. The floor
was of tagging and there was one win
dow.
"Thc noise Of the river increased to a
terrific, thundcrous roar, as opened the
door and descended the steps which, by
the way, were portable, for use in reach.
ing the higher shelves. Placing my cam
die upon the sidc-table, l turned to lift
down pan of milk. At that moment
came rumble like that, think, which
prccedcs an earthquake shock; and then
a fearful sound which l cannot describe
u cracklc, crash and roar together. l
felt the stone floor beneath my feet trcm-
bic. There was a noise of breaking
glass, and in much less time than it has
taken me to tell it, I stood in darkness,
knec-dccp in mad swirl of waters.
''For an instant I was numbed by the
shock, and utterly unable to comprehend
the situation. The baby broke into a
frightened wall. I felt the water rising
icy cold about me. Something shook
against me in the darkness. touched
it; the steps Vere qfoat.
Blindly cropping put out my hand;
it came in contact with the heavy deal
table, and with the quickncss of thought
I climbed up on it.
There was l, baby and I, alone with
the night and the tempest and the flood.
The water was still rising; already it was
creeping over my feet as stood on the
side table. Higher and higher it rose
until knew it must be above the stone
wall of the milk-room and so have flooded
the house. 1 remember, queerly enough,
thinking it would quench the Goals I had
covered so carefully for the mornings
fire.
$50 stood there, hushing the baby's
cries. think / did not fear much for
our lives, until the water reached my
waist; 1 felt so sure that help would
come, or that the water would subside,
and even then it seemed to me could
not desc young, my life so full of
bright hopes and promises"
Aunt Lacy paused moment, her eyes
fixed on vacancy.
II cannot describe to you my feelings
as the water rose steadily about me, steal
ing higher and higher, as beast of prey,
sure of its victim, yet creeps stcalthily
upon it. 1t reached my shoulder at
length. 1 could only keep my foot-hold
by pressing hard against the wall. I
remember 1 thought how hard. terribly
hard, it was that we must die there alone
in that awful tumult and darkness. Baby
and I, always baby; and l held him over
my head, and shriekcd in mad, wild ter
ror and anguish for help"
ooh, Aunty, don't!" cried Eva.
Aunt Lacy smiled "IIclp came, my
dear, but not before the first fierce rush
which had swept away the dam had
passed, and the water had begun to dimin-
ish. 1t was then caught the CLEAN of a
lantern and heard voices; and for many
days saw and heard no more. was
stricken with brain fever, and when re-
covered we left Embdcn, as father had
long been intending to do.
eyes, it taught me hardly-lcarned and
wholesome lesson; I never forgot it. And
you sec now, Eva, why dislike to hear
you wish for flood"
eyes" said Eva, sobcrly. "Of course,
it was Herbert who found you, Aunt
Lacy?" What became of him after
wardl'
':What was his namc?" asked I.
Aunt Lacy smiled again-a little, ten
der, far-away smile.
''His name was George Herbert Lacy"
said she; "and I married him. GOOD
Cheer.